1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to belts and belt assemblies having means for carrying one or more articles thereon. More specifically, the present invention is a multiple component belt having a support shelf extending outwardly therefrom, for carrying and supporting an infant thereon. The device may also be used for the carriage of various accessories, e.g. a portable infant car seat.
2. Description of the Related Art
Infants and very small children are often carried by partially supporting them on the hip of an adult parent or guardian. The mothers of infants and small children particularly use this method of carrying and supporting a small child. This method has various advantages, in that the child is continually held by at least one arm of the adult, the child is positioned where he or she may be easily observed by the adult, and the adult may generally make use of one arm and hand to tend to the needs of the child or to other matters as required.
However, this method of carrying a small child has its disadvantages as well. In order to carry a small child reasonably securely using this method, the hip must be thrust laterally outwardly in order to provide sufficient horizontal support for the child, with one arm restraining the child close to the body of the adult. Even though the child is extremely close to the adult's torso, the adult must still lean at least slightly away from the child in order to balance the laterally offset load. This results in excessive muscular strain and skeletal displacement for the adult carrying the small child, even though the child's weight may not be very great.
As a result, various devices have been developed in the past for carrying and supporting a small child on the body of an adult. These devices generally comprise a single belt with some form of support structure extending therefrom, with the belt generally passing through a passage in the support in order to secure the support adjustably and removably on the belt. Other devices have been developed in which the externally extending support structure is permanently and immovably affixed to the belt. However, nearly all of the child support belt configurations of the related art of which the present inventor is aware have only a single, generally relatively narrow belt to support the weight. Some have recognized this deficiency and have added shoulder straps for additional support and security, but the single, generally narrow belt is nearly universal among such devices.
The need for additional waist support has long been recognized in the field of heavy lifting. Numerous weight belts, back support belts, and the like have been developed in the past. Some of these belts include inelastic outer belt portions formed of plural plies of material, with elastic inner belt sections attached inside the outer belt. However, none of these devices provide any external extension for supporting a load laterally from the body.
Thus, a child carrier belt solving the above noted problems is desired.